Sunday, January 15, 2012

A Shot of Green Sunday

I should be out pruning rose bushes, then spraying them. It's also a good time to do outdoor painting because for some reason we have been having a period of dry and warm weather when it is usually rainy and cool.

Instead Sweetie and I searched yesterday for the break in the invisible fence that needs to be repaired before we can bring a new dog home. I have been missing Xam but also missing the joy of having a dog. Our neighbor was telling us yesterday of his positive experience with GGLRR, a local rescue group. He was grinning like a boy while we were meeting his recently adopted yellow lab. We still have a few things to do before we can go looking but I like the idea of a rescued dog instead of a puppy.

I've also been having a really fine time reading a book called 'As Always, Julia' which is a compilation of some of the letters between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto. Their friendship began when Julia read an article by Mrs. DeVoto's husband where he was a strong supporter of steel knives vs stainless steel ones. The steel ones hold their edge better. Julia sent him some French ones and a nice letter. Avis was helping with his mail and so she sent a return letter and the friendship began that way. They didn't even meet for a long time but found that they had similar interests in cooking and in politics. There were even some mutual friends.

Since I love the topic of cooking and love Julia Child's way with a recipe, plus have been a lover of politics since I was about 10 years old, this book is enthralling for me. It's also of extra interest because the time frame is the 50's when a lot was going on in American politics. I was a history major in college, but our curriculum never covered anything past the Second World War, so I'm learning a lot, even if it is from a certain perspective. Avis' husband Bernard was also influential in conservation issues, particularly Western ones, so that's also of interest. Once I've finished the book I hope to spend time on the Internet following up on some of the footnotes.

The other thing I've been up to is ...surprise!...bread baking. Tomorrow I'll have the perfect recipe for any of you who want the delight of freshly made yeast bread but don't have a lot of time. The next day, hopefully, I'll be able to post a lovely Spelt and Wheat Sourdough Loaf that is currently shaped and rising.

For today I have a suggestion on kitchen decor. Although I love to have a little bouquet on the window sill, right now the only thing in my garden that could be used for that are lavender stalks. I love them but the gray green isn't uplifting. Instead I've found that an inexpensive bunch of Italian parsley brings a nice shot of bright green into the kitchen and is handy for cooking too.

2 comments
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Every new thing I find out about Saint Julia tells me she was such a brilliant person. My friend Laurie got to meet her when she worked at the CIA in St. Helena (envious, envious!)and she was just so gracious and funny. People here have very little idea who she was, which still strikes me as funny...

Not sure that Julia was a saint but she sure was fun and brilliant and a hard worker and passionate. I'm envious of people who met her but even more so of people who were able to become her friend. This book shows what a great friend she could be. I think she is an American phenomenon, like turkey

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